Russian Regiment Deserts: Report Reveals Mass Exodus from Ukraine Front
Over 1,000 soldiers, including officers, deserted Russia’s 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division, as revealed by an internal document obtained by iStories. This mass desertion, comprised of contract soldiers, mobilized personnel, and conscripts, followed significant losses and repeated Ukrainian attacks on the division’s headquarters. The desertion rate has steadily increased since the war’s beginning, peaking in July 2024. While the desertion of such a large number of soldiers from a single division is significant, Russia continues to field multiple divisions in the conflict.